Save My Skin!

[Selenay]

Recently, I have been afflicted with the most horrific chapped skin ever.

I don't know why it's so horrific this year, but my hands are chapped and dry to the point of bleeding.

It's really unattractive.

I have tried lotioning frequently, but not to excess.

I dry my hands immediately after washing, I never let them air dry in the cold. I do not use hand sanitizers very often, since my skin has shown signs of resentment.

I wear (really cute) gloves outside.


Please.

Save my skin.

Give me your secret skin tips.



*The chapped broken skin is limited to the tops of my hands

**This is in the femme section, not because butches don't have hands or skin but because I am a femme and this is myyyyyyyy thread. Your secret skin tips are welcome, too, gents.

[Odarlin]

Check the ingrediants on the lotion. Many lotions have alcohol and can actually be somewhat drying.
Shea butter or mix of almond oil and jojoba does happy things for me.G'Luck.


Edited to add: Oh- and Burt's Bees has a product called "Farmer's Friend" that can be quite useful.

[bright_arrow]

Anytime I've asked the pharmacists (I work at Wal-mart in the HBA section so people come in looking for lotion for dry skin) they recommend Eucerin as they use it for a base for stuff they make. I've recently found hand and cuticle cream (i think it's Eucerin, small tube, blue, like $4.82) that has worked wonders. I use hand sanitizer a lot and wash my hands at work since I'm always touching stuff, and the tops of my hands were chapped and flaky and rugged and gross, but this has helped it (and done wonders for my cuticles!).

I know my father use to use Bag Balm when he worked construction (now called veterinary balm, in a square tin and now in the pet section, around $7-ish).

Hope that helps perhaps!

[Miss Scarlett]

Have you considered going to a Dermatologist? I used to have a similar condition and the only thing that helped was beef fat - when I made hamburger patties - and that was only temporary. No lotions - and I tried them all - helped. When I worked for a Dermatologist he diagnosed my problem as a form of eczema and the treatment he developed for me helped. You might have that or something different. If you are cracking and bleeding you need to be careful about infections.

*sidles into Femme zone*


ebay is your body product ingredient friend.

Try mixing (food grade) cocoa butter with some shea/almond/avocado/apricot (et al) butter. These items are all available on ebay (uk - and I'm sure on ebay usa) and cheap enough -usually - to try experimenting with the mix of butters that suit you.

Or go the oil route and find the mix of oils that work for your skin.

There are numerous websites dedicated to making your own skin products.



*sidles out again*

[suebee]

There were a lot of suggestions on the "Nail Me" thread - all about manicures. Some of note were to use polysporin if the skin is actually cracked, and to use the cream meant for cow's udders (which is what desdansmoncoeur was referring to by "bag balm" I think). Your best price for that would be at a feed store. The other thing that Snowy mentioned for nail and cuticle health was to take vitamin E gel caps, open them and spread it over the nails and cuticles. I wonder if that would help boost your skin health? (after the cracks are healed, of course)

My contribution is a hand cream called "Glysomed" - a German product if you can find it. Thick, absorbs well and not greasy. The best hand cream I've ever had.

Good luck! Cracked skin is SO uncomfortable!

[miss entycing]

you can also try a Paraffin (sp) hand treatment- a type of deep penetrating wax.. usually at a nail salon- not only feels wonderful, but it works really well.
best of luck to you sweetie

[justkim]

Hello Selenay, you have been given a lot of great suggestions for taking care of you chapped hands. Here are a couple from me...

1. Do go and see a dermatologist.
2. Paraffin is wonderful, but some states don't allow this, because it is not able to be sanitized. They do however sell personal Paraffin machines in Wal-mart or any type of drugstore. A trick I learned about paraffin is to slather your hands with a heavy duty lotion before you dip your hands, once your hands have been emerced into the paraffin cover them again (saran wrap) and wrap them and let the paraffin stay on until cold.
3. Try using aqua fore (sp) It feels kinda like Vaseline and a little goes a very long way. Eucerin makes a great cream but it can seem rather heavy at first.
4. Drink more water!

Good luck!

[Apocalipstic]

Don't dry off after you bathe or wash your hands. Put lotion on your damp skin and let air dry or pat dry. Also Burt's Bees apricot baby oil works great slathered on damp skin..or really any oil...I just like the apricot smell.

The oil mixes with the water...emulsifying and soaks into your skin better. At night sometimes maybe slather up all over after a bath, put on PJ's (cotton or flannel) cotton socks and cotton (or bamboo) gloves (or more cotton socks on your hands).

Works great on my ultra dry skin and is not expensive...but you have to be consistent with it.

[apretty]

look for 'lanolin creme' --it's what they give breastfeeding mothers in the hospital for their chapped nipples and it works wonders on dry hands.

lanolin is an amazing *glandular secretion* wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanolin

[IrishGrrl]

I know this is going to sound crazy but..apretty made me think of it when she mentioned breastfeeding. When I was breastfeeding, my nipples were SO raw, I could barely feed my daughter. They were cracked and bleeding, and chaffed. SO, someone told me a great trick. I took regular tea bags, soaked them in hot water for a few moments..and layed them on my nipples. NOTHING worked like the tea bags!! I've also used this trick when my skin was cracked and brittle, and it works really well. I usually would do it once a day, sometimes more, depending on how bad they felt. The active ingredient is the tanic acid..it's such a healer!! Try that, then put on some really great cream.

[Soon]

Great tips!

What about a small humidifier to add moisture to the air?

I have a pot of water on my steam rads and it is really helping (nasal dryness and itchy skin).

[robbrt]

Bag Balm works well...

http://www.bagbalm.com/

[violaine]

sweet almond oil is really good and a lot less expensive than neutrogena [sesame formula].

[JAGG]

Hey go to www.Kellysoaps.com order a jar of the bath salts. It's loaded with all kinds of oils and it smells so good just rub it on while you're in the shower and your skin will be soft and smooth. Also Emu oil is awesome too. But if you want a cheap low cost fix, petroleum jelly, (vaseline) put it on while you're still in the shower with the water running, that works great too.

[Gemme]

I've had this problem, and in Florida, so it very well may not be related to the weather. All the lotions and slathering and dipping and parafin suggestions have been really good. I employ some of those techniques now with varying success.

I've found, in terms of OTC, that Gold Bond Medicated lotion with Aloe and Neutrogena Norwegian Formula lotions work well for me. The NNF tends to feel and look like Vaseline at first. It gets better when you rub it in.

Whoever mentioned checking the label is a smart cookie. Alcohol is very drying as are some of the acids commonly listed.

Even using lotions and creams, I found that it just wasn't enough. So I went to a dermie and he prescribed Clobetasol Propionate for me. Even when the cracks were really deep and I had layers of them on top of one another (that was NOT fun, I assure you), this stuff worked for me. I haven't really had that issue in WA, which is weird to me (and led to the whole 'weather doesn't matter' line of thinking) because it's very dry up here and cold.

Good luck finding something that works for you, Selly.

[blush]

Years ago, a dr. recommended Curel (original) and white Dove soap for my dry skin. I haven't had a problem since.

You might also change your soap to something less drying? Some soaps (Dial, for example) are the worst for stripping your skin of natural oils.

[DressyFemme]

I have had terribly dry, calloused, cracked feet and dry skin on my feet.

My partner was prescribed Dermasil lotion, which you can get on ebay. Just the regular (not advanced) formula will do. It's also available OTC or you can ask your pharmacist for it.

I have tried sweet almond oil, badger balm foot salve treatments, etc. Nothing has worked as well as the Dermasil. You put it on your feet before going to bed and then drape the feet over the side of the bed. You know it's working when it tingles a little. Leave feet over bed for about 20-30 minutes.

Probably works on the hands, too! (I'd use it on your feet then rub what's left into your hands and put cotton socks on over your hands at night).

Best of luck - I know it's painful!!

Dressy

[femmy1]

I love bag balm... but a good idea.. is to put some on before bed and slip on a pair of soft white cotton gloves to sleep occasionally. It does wonders !!

For the restof me, my sister turned me onto LUSH lotion bars...
O.M.F.G

here's a link-- I get the wiccy its good stuff.. even better than that ... decadent would be a good descriptor.

f1~

[The_Lady_Snow]

Sel,

Get ahold of The Honey Chile..

She made this stuff for me and the Orange One, well not for us only but for her pet as well..

It was heaven, and I was silky as a rose petal..

True story..

I need more